These Thai Doggos Help Owner Collect Marine Trash & Are The Cutest Eco-Warriors Ever

Adorable golden retriever duo in Thailand


There are movies like Air Bud where golden retrievers shine as athletic and furry celebrities. But on Koh Tao, which is one of the world’s most famous diving spots, is where two real-life goldie celebrities live.

Meet Money (mummy dog) and Fanta (puppy dog) – two doggos who have been trained to collect rubbish from the ocean. 

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Taught how to clean up ocean debris


These pups are now local celebrities
Image credit: Better Together

Like many other tourist spots in Thailand, Koh Tao is no exception and has been affected by the travel bans during the pandemic. This is a huge bummer as  many foreign tourists love going to Koh Tao for diving trips, often staying there for more than a week.

Uncle Chai and his Golden Retrievers
Image credit: The Nation Thailand

With the pandemic affecting income, owner Uncle Chai had to adapt like many locals. 

“Only groups of Thai visitors came during the holidays,” he shared on The Nation. He also mentioned that COVID-19 had a huge impact on small tourist boat drivers within the area due to lack of visitors. “They lacked income to survive and take care of their families.”


Image credit: The Nation Thailand

The coolest bit about the pups is that both of them are trained to collect rubbish on the beach and water. If debris like bottles or bamboo are spotted, they would jump off the boat and swim to grab them. 

Both of the pups deserve a round of applause for their love for nature, with Uncle Chai referring to them as ‘green-hearted’ dogs. 

Image credit: Better Together

Tourists in the area love playing with these furry friends, with the celebrity pups making their rounds on social media. This has also allowed Uncle Chai to earn extra during the pandemic.


Support our furry friends and the environment


Image credit: Better Together

Since October 2020, the “Koh Tao Better Together” crowdfunding campaign has been going on to raise money to support groups of small boat drivers on Koh Tao. This is great news for the locals there.

You can also support these fluffy eco-warriors by visiting Koh Tao. You won’t have to fumble around to find them either – just ask the locals or your accommodation staff! 

Who knows, you can give them a great Xmas gift this year by helping them out.

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Featured images adapted from: The Nation Thailand, Better Together

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